Turkish police arrest 2 journalists in espionage investigation
Istanbul, June 9, 2020 – Turkish authorities must release journalists Müyesser Yıldız and İsmail Dükel immediately, and ensure that the press can cover political and military news freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday morning, police in Ankara arrested Yıldız, Ankara news director for opposition news website Odatv, and Dükel, the Ankara representative…
Slovenian reporter Eugenija Carl receives threatening letter with white powder
Berlin, June 8, 2020 — Slovenian authorities should conduct a quick and thorough investigation into the threats against journalist Eugenija Carl and ensure her safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 1, Carl, a reporter for public broadcaster RTV Slovenia, received an envelope mailed to her work address in the city of…
Editors’ Checklist: Preparing for U.S. protest assignments
Updated June 8, 2020 The following checklist enables commissioners and editors to understand how well prepared journalists and other media workers are as they cover U.S. protests over police violence. For additional safety information, please see CPJ’s Safety Advisory for covering U.S. protests over police violence. Select your staff after considering: As part of your…
Cameroon military spokesperson says journalist Samuel Wazizi died in custody last year
New York, June 5, 2020 — In response to a statement issued by the Cameroonian Ministry of Defense today that journalist Samuel Wazizi died in government custody in August 2019, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “The Cameroonian government’s cruel treatment of journalist Samuel Wazizi is truly shocking. It is unbelievable that authorities…
Burundi court rejects imprisoned Iwacu journalists’ appeal
Nairobi, June 5, 2020 — In response to a Burundi court’s decision today to reject the appeal of four Iwacu media group journalists who are serving 2.5-year prison terms, as reported by their employer, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Burundian authorities should never have arrested the four detained Iwacu journalists; rejecting…
Journalists assaulted, detained while covering COVID-19 protest in Iraqi Kurdistan
On June 2, 2020, Iraqi Kurdish security forces assaulted at least four journalists and detained two others who were covering protests against the COVID-19 restrictions in the northeastern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah, according to news reports and a report by the Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy, a local press freedom group. During a…
Yemeni journalist Nabil al-Quaety killed outside his home in Aden
New York, June 3, 2020 — Yemeni authorities should conduct a thorough investigation into the killing of journalist Nabil Hasan al-Quaety and hold the perpetrators to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday morning, a group of men in military uniforms attempted to hit al-Quaety with their car as he exited his home…
Managing director of Iranian news agency convicted on false news charges
On May 31, 2020, Branch 6 of Tehran’s Media Court convicted Ali Motaghian, the managing director of the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA), on charges of “spreading false news,” according to a report by the news agency. CPJ could not determine what sentence Motaghian received or whether he is in custody. The semi-official Iranian…
China’s COVID-19 countermeasures include restricting press freedom
In the nearly 71 years of Communist Party rule in China, the country’s citizens have enjoyed brief periods of relatively free speech, as during the abortive Hundred Flowers Campaign in 1956-57, or the run-up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, when investigative journalists covered local corruption and pollution. When the coronavirus outbreak first began spreading in…
CPJ demands Cameroonian government account for arrested journalist Samuel Wazizi
New York, June 3, 2020 — Cameroonian authorities must immediately disclose the whereabouts and the health and legal status of imprisoned journalist Samuel Wazizi, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. “Samuel Wazizi’s friends, family, colleagues, and lawyers have unsuccessfully sought answers about his arrest from the Cameroonian government for far too long,” said CPJ…